The Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast

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Award-winning marketer Chris Syme and bestselling indie author Becca Syme give self-published authors the latest social media tips and strategies that sell more books and build loyal fans. Join them as they interview top book marketing experts, showcase successful indie authors, and offer tips from their own successes on this weekly show.

Award-winning marketer Chris Syme and bestselling indie author Becca Syme give self-published authors the latest social media tips and strategies that sell more books and build loyal fans. Join them as they interview top book marketing experts, showcase successful indie authors, and offer tips from their own successes on this weekly show.

Award-winning marketer Chris Syme and bestselling indie author Becca Syme give self-published authors the latest social media tips and strategies that sell more books and build loyal fans. Join them as they interview top book marketing experts, showcase successful indie authors, and offer tips from their own successes on this weekly show.

Episodes

In this second part of Crisis Management For Authors, Chris and Becca discuss response strategies to online events and when you should and should not weigh-in publicly.
Links & Show Notes:
-How to separate fact from fiction when determining your response.
-Why you need to remove your emotions from the picture before deciding on any action plan.
-How to know when you’re over your head and need help.
-How you can help a fellow author in a crisis without blasting on social media.
-More on...

In this episode, Chris and Becca kick off their Summer Blast From the Past series by revisiting one of the most popular shows called "It Could Happen to You", an episode on crisis prevention and reputation management. This hot topic was one of the most talked about shows of 2018.
Links and Show Notes:
-Chris shares her experience in crisis management and why knowing how to handle a crisis is important.
-What you can do to help prevent a crisis.
-Why an engaged social media following is...

In this final episode in the "how to do a podcast" series Chris visits with historical mystery author Jenny Wheeler about why and how she started her podcast, The Joys of Binge Reading.
Show Notes & Links:
-How to get an idea for a show.
-Tips on how to choose and interview guests.
-Be sure and research your guests' platforms.
-The advantages of starting slowly when it comes to marketing.
-Marketing ideas Jenny uses.
-Subscriptions and email lists are keys to growth.
-Marketing tip:...

In this episode Chris interviews popular podcast host Michelle Nezat about how she grew her show's audience from the ground up using organic strategies.
Show Notes & Links:
- How to get your podcast off the ground and why the launch strategy is key to growth.
-How Michelle uses a downloadable lead magnet to grow her audience.
-Why Michelle uses scripting to keep her show's consistent and cohesive.
-Downloads, subscriptions, and email lists--oh my. Which metrics are important?
-Ideas...

In this episode Chris gives an overview of all the important elements of producing your own podcast.
Show Notes & Links:
What you need to start:
- A content plan.
-Decide on your format.
-Guests or go solo or hybrid?
-If you want to script your show, use your friendly conversational voice, not your writing voice.
-How to put together a calendar.
-Where are you going to publish your shows?
-What basic equipment do you need?
Links: Click 'em, they're live!
-Link to last week's...

In this episode Chris outlines several reasons why you may want to consider starting a podcast and one big reason why you shouldn't.
Show Notes & Links:
-Always start with your "why."
-One bad reason why you should not start a podcast
-You may want to consider starting a podcast if:
1. You're a nonfiction writer.
2. You have a unique concept or better to solve a problem for your listeners.
3. You know your way around technology adapt easy to new technologies.
4. You have a large...

In this episode Chris interviews author and copywriting expert Brian Meeks. Brian, best known for expertise on Amazon ads, has a new book on how to write winning copy. The episode starts with an update on Amazon's new lockscreen ads that have many authors befuddled.
Show Notes & Links:
-Are the new lockscreen ads (Amazon) the old product display ads?
-The the goal in copywriting is not the same as in writing a book.
-The difference between structure in ad copy and prose writing.
-Why...

This episode is the third of a three-part super series on how to become a BookBub ads expert with David Gaughran. If you haven't listened to episodes one and two, we recommend you start there. Here's the link to the first show in the series: https://cksyme.com/episode120
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In this episode Chris and expert guest David Gaughran talk about how to bid for success with BookBub ads. There may be a tiny bit of math involved, but keep calm and carry on.
Show Notes &...

Part two of three. If you haven't listened to part one, click here and listen first. Then come back!
In this episode David and Chris discuss the tips and tricks to targeting an ad on BookBub. It's not like Facebook or Amazon ads, so you need to know what you're doing for maximum results.
Show Notes & Links:
-Why you should test your BookBub ads using the Amazon US Kindle store.
-The anatomy of a killer ad: why you need to know how to put an engaging image together.
-The #1 reason you...

This week, Chris starts a three-week series with David Gaughran, author of the new book, BookBub Ads Expert. In this first part, it's all about how to test for success and find a template you can use to replicate for success.
Show Notes & Links:
-Why David wrote his new book and how he got his data.
-Why testing is absolutely necessary for success.
-Why conversions (sales) are a more important measure than click-throughs. Hint:clicks don't tell the right story.
-Why you'll get the bet...

In this episode, Chris and Becca introduce the second principle from the Quitcast tag line: what to quit, what to keep, what to question. This week we tackle what every author needs to keep.
Show Notes & Links:
- The best predictor of your success: your strengths.
-Why knowing your strengths will enhance every area of your author business from writing to marketing and everything in-between.
-Why working on your strengths statistically gives you more success than working on your...

In this episode of the Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast, Chris and Becca introduce The Quitcast, Becca's new podcast for authors: what to keep, what to quit, and what to question.
Links & Show Notes
-Introducing The Quitcast, a new videocast on YouTube for authors who want to take the next step in their success journey as an author. There is nothing out there for authors like this show--you will want to become a regular!
-Challenging the premise that quitting something is negative. Why...

In this week's episode of the Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast, Chris gives three good reasons why a lead magnet (or reader magnet) might not be enough.
Show Notes & Links:
-Why tactics are an incomplete marketing strategy
A lead magnet is not enough:
1. Because it's a tactic! Where's the why? The Seinfeld-ism: You know how to hook the reader, you just don't know how to keep the reader.
2. If you have only one or two books published. Match your lead magnet strategy with your...

In this week's show Chris analyzes data on how social media helps word-of-mouth and increases sales. Also, why most authors only need one primary social media channel for their platform.
Show Notes:
-Know the why behind the power of social media.
-Updated social media stats.
-Updated research on why social media increases sales.
-70% of people over 13 years old are on at least one social media channel to connect (88% of 18-29 age group).
-Facebook and YouTube have the highest numbers...

In this episode Chris interviews Ricardo Fayet, one of the founders of Reedsy, about their new Book Promotions Services data base. This searchable data base helps authors find specific promotions that fit their platform level, their budget, and their goals.
Show Notes & Links:
-What in the heck is Reedsy?
-Sorting through the Book Promotions Services data base by criteria.
-How was the Reedsy list curated?
-Is a BookBub Featured Deal really worth the investment?
-What are the best...

In this episode Chris lays the foundation for the "less is more" marketing system. This week, Chris shows you the first part of that SMART marketing equation: The Big Three + platform-specific promotions by defining the three goals and three platforms you need to establish.
Show Notes & Links:
- "Less is more marketing" requires more attention to detail, laser-focused strategy, and requires you to let go of FOMO and the splatter method of marketing.
-You need The Big Three Platforms:
1....

In this episode, Chris talks about three fundamentals you need to master to plot a successful marketing plan. The beginning of a series on selling more books with less marketing in 2019.
Show Notes & Links:
The three fundamentals you need to master to give your marketing plan the best chance of success.
1. Platform: why a good book is no longer enough.
2. You need a Marketing Manifesto. No, we're not going to take over the world, just set our own course for success with three important...

In this episode, Chris talks about three fundamentals you need to master to plot a successful marketing plan. The beginning of a series on selling more books with less marketing in 2019.
Show Notes & Links:
The three fundamentals you need to master to give your marketing plan the best chance of success.
1. Platform: why a good book is no longer enough.
2. You need a Marketing Manifesto. No, we're not going to take over the world, just set our own course for success with three important...

In this episode of the podcast, Chris reviews the 2018 Word of Mouth Marketing Report from Convince and Convert Consulting and how it can help authors sell more books.
Show Notes & Links
- 66% of people start a purchase decision with an online search.
- How many people search retail sites like Amazon for books?
-Why book reviews are so important and why your ARC team needs to know the procedure for books they do not like.
- Social Proof and why young readers will buy based on a second...

In this episode of the podcast, Chris reviews the 2018 Word of Mouth Marketing Report from Convince and Convert Consulting and how it can help authors sell more books.
Show Notes & Links
- 66% of people start a purchase decision with an online search.
- How many people search retail sites like Amazon for books?
-Why book reviews are so important and why your ARC team needs to know the procedure for books they do not like.
- Social Proof and why young readers will buy based on a second...